CBeebies stars heading to Wellingborough for premiere of new stage show

Stephanie Weaver

A new stage show featuring CBeebies favourites Sarah & Duck is set to have its premiere in Wellingborough.

The Bafta-winning CBeebies duo will be live on stage for the first time from April 6 until May 14 at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon.

This will be followed by a UK tour starting at Eastbourne Hippodrome on May 29 and including a date in Kettering.

But ahead of these dates, Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday will have its premiere just a few days before at Wellingborough’s Castle Theatre on April 1 and April 2.

The show’s producer Nick Larkin said: “I have previously produced stage adaptations of The Smurfs, Lazytown and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and I really enjoy the challenge of taking these iconic children’s characters and putting them in the 3D world of theatre.

“Children respond brilliantly to the immediacy of seeing their favourite characters live on stage, and I think it’s incredibly important to introduce children to the magic of theatre at an early age.

“Sarah & Duck is incredibly popular with children and parents, and with this production we want children to feel like they are entering their world and being totally immersed in it.

“We’ve made sure all of the best characters are included in this story.

“We’re really excited to be premiering the production at The Castle theatre – Wellingborough audiences will be the very first to see this show before it moves to London.”

The show will include Sarah and Duck with all their favourite friends, including The Ribbon Sisters, The Shallots, John and Flamingo and Umbrella, as they plan a circus-themed birthday party for Scarf Lady in their garden.

But when the weather turns windy and the big top is blown away, will Sarah and Duck be able to save the day?

Told through a blend of inventive puppetry, charming storytelling and toe-tapping music, Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday will take families and children on a magical theatrical adventure.

Following the gentle adventures of a wide-eyed, seven-year-old girl and her feathered best friend, Sarah & Duck has been a huge hit since its debut in 2013, winning a Bafta for Best Pre-School Animation in 2014 and regularly appearing in CBeebies’ top 10 programmes for viewers aged four to 15.

Now in its third series, it is shown in more than 100 countries.

The show is recommended for children aged three to six and will be at The Castle in Wellingborough on Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2.

And it is set to return to the county with another show at The Lighthouse in Kettering on Tuesday, May 30.